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New Malawi setup

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So I'm currently contemplating a big change for my 75 gallon planted tank. Currently I have 4 mollys, 5 giant danios, and a pearl gourami. I am thinking of moving the mollies and gourami to my 29 gallon and returning the danios to my LFS for a credit towards some Mbunas. I plan on changing my substrate to silica based play sand in white. I also want to add egg crate and use sandstone to build a nice formation along the back and on one of the side of my tank. I am currently running a Biowheel emperor 400, and will add an Eheim 2217 and run both. My tap water has 0 nitrites, nitrates, or ammonia, and ph is 8.3. I ordered a KH and GH test kit yesterday as well. I guess based on what I've said am I missing anything? Any recommendations? Thanks!

That is a great filter combo for that tank and will work very well as I had the same on my 55 for several years. Your ph is perfect for that set up. With Mbuna you will want lots of rock to create hiding spots especially if you are going to stock the tank to its capacity as most people do to aid in cutting down on aggression. I would use the HOB for mechanical only and the canister for bio and chem or all bio. You will want to do weekly wc's of 50% or more as Mbuna can be pretty messy. Post pics when you set up/

Good info above - In my 75 I went african but I have haps and peacocks. I like them better. Peacocks have a great variety of color! Also stay smaller (around 4in) and grow slow so the tank can grow with them.

thanks for those tips! the peacocks are very cool! I might have to look into those. Ive also looked at getting a uv sterilizer and installing it in line on the return for the canister. Are they worth it? Also, what are the cons to doing an all male tank? Thanks again!

Peacocks are what I did as well - the only con to an all male tank is that the males don't colour up as brightly as they do when there are females to compete for.

Personally, I would pass on the uv steriliser (I like to keep things simple, the less gadgets the better), but a case can certainly be made for them being beneficial. You just need to be sure to get the right "size" to do the job.http://www.americanaquariumproducts....ilization.html

thanks for those tips! the peacocks are very cool! I might have to look into those. Ive also looked at getting a uv sterilizer and installing it in line on the return for the canister. Are they worth it? Also, what are the cons to doing an all male tank? Thanks again!

In my opinion no - not worth the cost... A razorblade 1x a month with the water changes are fine. Costs less than 25 cents a month.

You want to do an all male tank almost 100% of the time. The only time you want females in my opinion is if you want breeding. I personally love my mix that I have in my 75gal and most will say it doesnt work but it has for me: 4 venustus, 1 sunshine peacock, 1 blue faced peacock, 2 red empress (one male one female), 1 red zebra mbuna (tank boss and will be relocated if he ever shows aggression...), 1 leolupi (sp?), 1 fireball blaze peacock, 2 crystal red peacocks, 1 jacobfreibergi, 1 sulferhead and im looking to double the inhabitants.

This is my tank I took this morning. Need some sand cleaning but this is 2 weeks after the last scrub down and the tank looks pretty good glass wise. I let the algae get into the dirt and thats the discoloration.